AT just nine years old, Portlander Ruby Smith has decided to lop off her golden locks for the second time, to be donated and made into a wig for someone in need.

On Friday, May 12, Ruby will be giving up around 36cm of her hair, in front of her fellow students at St John’s Lutheran Primary School.

It is just over four years since her first effort, when just days ahead of starting schools as a prep student, Ruby cut a similar amount of hair and raised $2300 in donations for children’s charity Variety.

The hair will be made into a wig and given to a child who has lost their hair due to a medical condition, which would otherwise cost thousands of dollars.

With an online donation page already just shy of $2,000, Ruby looks set to meet her ambition of bettering her fundraising efforts this time around.

“I want to help people without hair, when they lost it from being sick,” Ruby said.

Her parents, Ally and Cam, said that while they encourage their children to be giving, the original idea was almost all Ruby’s, as was the decision to do it again.

“We’re really proud, absolutely,” Mr Smith said.

“You try and instil that in your kids, more than anything, to do good and to help people.

“We’re not rich, but we do what we can, and I guess growing your hair is free, but it can really help people.”

They have done a good job at that parenting goal, as Ruby’s younger sister Bonnie in 2020 sacrificed most of her hair for the good cause.

To go along with her good deed, the grade three student is again asking the community to pitch in to raise money, with group of Bentinck Street businesses have answered the call.

This Friday, May 5, café Margaret and Agnes will be setting aside a dollar out of every sale for Ruby, said owner Anthony Vecchio, who is also organising a raffle with prizes donated from the café and his other business Southside Pizza, as well as neighbouring shops SportsPower and Portland Compleat Angler.

“We’ve always banded together a bit to do this sort of stuff, we’re all good friends, and have been putting this raffle together to try and help out this time,” Mr Vecchio said.

“It’s a good cause, and a great thing that Ruby is doing so we’re happy to help.”

Tickets will be available from Margaret and Agnes, and the raffle will be drawn on the May 12, ahead of Ruby’s big chop.